Source: ezinearticles.com
In more ways than one, New Year's Resolutions are a flash in the pan, but they don't have to be. For the media, who go "Top Ten" Resolution list crazy, it will continue to be just a burst of activity, but for people who really want to keep their New Year's Resolutions, the odds are strongly against them.
Why? There are really only two reasons why the failure rate is so high for accomplishing Resolutions. And regrettably an informal survey of recent New Year's Resolution tip articles and blog posts shows that these reasons are not well known nor communicated effectively to those who want to know.
The first reason the failure rate of New Year's Resolutions is so high is simply the choice of resolution. Simply put, people are poor when it comes to choosing Resolutions. Most don't slow down enough to give their choice careful consideration and reflection. A popular approach is to look at the aforementioned Top Ten Resolution Tip list and pick one or two. Thing is, when you distill goals and personal changes to lists, you end up with broad categories.
Categories are too broad for people to connect with on an emotional level. For example, lose weight to too vague to be meaningful. Getting specific helps a lot, e.g. lose 15 pounds by March 31. Now you've got something you can carve into steps and begin to tackle!
Adding rewards and consequences also help define the Resolution further and tie it to a person's emotions and sub-conscious. Using our weight loss example, a reward couple be purchasing some nice fitting new clothes. A consequence could be donating $20 to charity for every pound you missed by.
The second reason people fail to keep their New Year's Resolutions is skill. Believe it or not there is a process all people go through when making personal changes. Many people are aware of the stages of grief, anger, denial, and so on. Well, personal changes entails a scientifically proven process that is very similar.
Since nearly everyone is unaware of the personal change process, how can they be any good it? The answer is nearly everyone isn't. You have to understand the process, develop skill with the process and incorporate accountability into the process. So how can you reverse things and stack the odds of attaining your New Year's Resolution in your favor?
First, attune your goal to your deeper-seated emotional wants and needs. Doing so should make an immense difference. Second, reach out to discover and apply the proven personal change methods. Don't go at it alone so to speak!
Self-help and goal setting books offer some guidelines, but they are a dime a dozen and it's difficult for a layperson to know what's good stuff and what isn't. Professionals like life coaches and psychologists and wellness coaches generally have training and experience in guiding people through personal changes. Personal trainers have no to very little training in this regard, but good ones have a track record of helping people with fitness and weight loss goals.
As you can see, there's a lot more to successfully keeping a New Year's Resolution thank people think or are aware of. Taking this advice on making and keeping Resolutions to heart and doing just a couple things differently should make a huge difference for you in 2010.
Best of luck to you!
Anke Johnson is a practicing health and wellness coach. On New Year's Day 2010 she is launching Resolution Velcro, a coaching program designed to help people make better and more meaningful New Year's Resolutions - and keep them. http://www.resolutionvelcro.com
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